The Rapture

Currently exploring if a rapture or snatching away can be seen in the Scriptures.
In the Old Testament, resurrection can easily be seen, in passages like Isaiah 26 : 19 and Daniel 12 : 1 - 3, but I haven't yet found a rapture that could be read into any passages, even if you are trying really hard to find one.
Can anyone find one for me?

The NT has many references to resurrection but my focus here is on the rapture.
Jesus gives the first hint of this when talking to Martha on the occasion of her brother Lazarus being raised  from the dead.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever has faith in me, even if he should die, shall live, and whoever lives and has faith in me most certainly does not die, throughout the age."
[John 11 : 25, 26  DBH]

Jesus is saying that at some point in time, believers who have already died will live; and believers who are still alive at that time will not die, but continue to live during the age.
Most modern translations say that those living will never die, which is ultimately true, but that is not the focus (or accurate translation) of this particular text.
Jesus is addressing those (believers) who are to be alive during the Messianic Age that Israel was yearning for.
Let's also note that Jesus gives no hint as to when this point in time will be, except that it must precede the coming, eagerly anticipated Messianic Age.

Jesus promised to return to get his disciples and has a hint of a collection, a taking, a rapture about it.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
[John 14 : 1 - 3  NIV]

Jesus also talks about a gathering of his disciples when discussing the signs to be seen at the end of the age in which they were living.

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
[Matthew 24 : 31  NIV]

Luke's record of this discussion gives a stronger rapture hint:

I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left."
[Luke 17 : 34 - 35  NIV]

Paul's letters to the first century churches also give some clear indications (and a few additional hints) about a coming rapture of believers.
The first clear indication to support a rapture is in 1 Thessalonians 4 :  13 - 18.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
[NIV]

The use of we in many places indicates that Paul expected to be included in the rapture.

The second clear indication is in 1 Corinthians 15 : 51 - 53.

Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed.
For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die.
[GNB]

A strong hint from Paul is included in his letter to the Philippians.

We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven.
He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.
[Philippians 3 : 20 - 21 GNB]

This hint includes the necessity of bodies being changed as in the Corinthians text.

Another hint comes from Paul's writing to the church of the Thessalonians about Christ's coming rescue mission.

All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idols to God, to serve the true and living God and to wait for his Son to come from heaven—his Son Jesus, whom he raised from death and who rescues us from God's anger that is coming.
[1 Thessalonians 1 : 9 - 10  GNB]

This text also suggests that the rescue will occur before God's coming anger or wrath is displayed.

Summing up, it seems that a rescue operation is foretold - people of faith who have died will be resurrected, those still alive will be caught up, both groups will have their bodies dramatically changed, and all this will happen before God's anger is displayed and before the Messianic kingdom age, probably in the life time of that generation.

An interesting follow-up can be found throughout the Book of Revelation. That book contains a revealing of Jesus Christ in events that were shortly to take place after the writing of the book.  However, this is a huge topic that needs an essay or two of its own a bit later.

Blessings, Barry

---------------------------------------------------------------

Published BLOG at https://barrysgracespace.blogspot.com
Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au